SED withdraws teacher rationalisation powers from cluster heads

Srinagar, Aug 1: The School Education Department (SED) on Thursday ordered to withdraw teacher rationalisation powers delegated to the cluster heads.

Also, the SED barred all the Chief Education Officers (CEOs), Zonal Educational Officers (ZEOs) from rationalisation or any internal arrangement of teaching and non-teaching staff.

The order in this regard has been issued by the Principal Secretary SED, Alok Kumar in partial modification of the government order number 2173 of 2022 dated December 1 of 2022. "In partial modification of the government order number 2173 dated December 1 of 2022, it is ordered that the powers of rationalisation delegated to Principals (Cluster Heads) is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect and henceforth shall be exercised by the Joint directors, with the prior approval from of the respective directors," the order reads.

"It is further ordered that no rationalisation , internal arrangement , deployment , attachment of teaching and non-teaching staff shall be made by the CEOs or ZEOs, henceforth. Any deviation of this order reported, the erring officer shall be dealt strictly under law," it reads.

Notably, the SED in 2022 formulated School Complexes across J&K UT for in terms of Part-I, Chapter 7 of National Education Policy (NEP)- 2020 for "Efficient resourcing and Effective Governance through School Complexes/Clusters" for effective sharing of resources. The objective of the formulation of the Complex school system was to ensure an adequate number of teachers for teaching all subjects including art, science, sports, languages, vocational subjects are available in the schools.

However, complaints were pouring in from all the districts that the cluster heads were misusing their powers under the garb of resource sharing and would order rationalisation of teachers as per their own whims. "The Cluster heads would never order rationalisation of teachers on merit but the resource sharing was mostly done on the basis of personal likes and dislikes instead of considering PTR in schools," an official said.

Earlier, the complex (Cluster) heads were empowered to deploy the Teachers within the complex and make rationalisation of staff wherever necessary within the complex after seeking permission from the Joint Director.

"But, the recommendation put forth the cluster heads were never in the interest of the students. The rationalisation was always done to favour influential teachers," the official said. Following the complaints about misuse of powers, the SED has withdrawn the powers of teacher rationalisation delegated to cluster heads. The move has been welcomed by the teaching community.

"It is a welcome step to ban cluster heads, CEOs, and ZEOs from ordering rationalisation of teachers. It is a big relief for the terrorised teachers. The teachers having no influence were displaced from schools by the other group of teachers enjoying patronage of these officers," said a teacher wishing not to be named.